Drop bottom cab



March s, 1932. I c. A. GRIFFITH 1,845,623

DROP BOTTOM CAR Filed April 1, 195o 5 sheets-sheet 1 c. A. GRIFFITH l 1,848,623

DROP BOTTOM CAR March 8, 1932.

Filed April l, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 c. A. GRIFFITH DROP BOTTOM GAR Malv'ch 8, i932.

Filed April l, 1930 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 8, 1932 UNITEDI STATES PATENT ortica CHARLES A. GRIFFITH, 0F XNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE A DROP IBGTTOM. CAR

Application filed April 1, 1930. Serial No. 440,802.

This invention relates to drop bottom cars, constructed and made of interchangeable and is .an improvement on drop bottom cars parts to the end that they may be quickly and of the type shown and described in my U. S. cheaply assembled either in the construction Patents Ns 1,268,344, 1,426,729, and ofthe car or in making repairs. 1,536,789, in which the bottom of the car body `With the object of accomplishing these de- 55 is providedwith a plurality of bottom doors sired ends, the car of the present invention is hinged to axes extending transversely of the provided with a plurality of drop bottom car body, and in which the rear door is held in doors, preferably made of sheet steel or other .its closed or elevated position by suitable suitable metal, and each hinged on an axis latch mechanism, the second or next adjacent transverse to the body of the car, each door 60 door is held in elevated or closed position by being hinged to its axis by bending an edge engagement with the rear door, the,` third portion of the metal part way around the door is held in elevated or closed position by aXis with the bent edge projecting beyond said engagement with the second door, and so 0n axis and approximately parallel to the main 5' through the series; the construction and body of the door, there beingablock or blocks 65 arrangement of the parts being such that interposed between said projecting edge ,when the latch mechanism that holds the rear portion and the main body of the door, said door closed is automatically tripped as the block or blocks extending along the hinge axis car travels past means for this purpose, and from one side of the door to the opposite said door swings downwardly around its side thereof and being suitably secured in 70 hinge, all of the doors will, upon arrival of position, as by riveting or otherwise, to thus the vear over a pit or bin, be successively form a strong durable hinge for the door. opened from the rear to the front of the car, The latching or free edge of each door, except so that the load therein is dumped into said the. rear door, is provided with means for en- 5 pit or bin. After the car has thus been gaging the rearwardly projecting edge of the 7o dumped, and travels past the forward edge hinge ofthe door immediately to the rear, to of the pit or bin, the forward door is raised thus positively latch the doors together when by engagement with/the forward edge of the they are in closed position, and the aforesaid pit or bin, or with an inclined Way, up into block or blocks are formed or arranged to re- D fully closed position, and is held in this posleeive said means and at the same time re- 8o tion until the second door from the front is inforce or strengthen the rearwardly prolikewise raised into fully closed position jecting edge portions of the hinges of the whereupon it engages the rear edge of the doors by connection of said block or blocks first or front door and retains it in its closed with said edge portions and the main body 5 position, and so on through the series of doors portions of the doors. The rear door, as in 85 until the rear door is reached, and it is raised the construction shown in my patents above to engagement with the latch mechanism referred to, has its rear edge engaged by therefor. suitable latch mechanism which may be auto- The connection between the rear edge of matically or manually tripped, so that when 3 one door and the hinge portion of the next the rear door falls, upon arrival of the car 9e 'door should be such that Wear o1' buckling of over the pit or bin. it frees the next forward the doors, under the heavy loads which they door which, when falling, frees the door next have to sustain. Will be prevented, While at in front of it, and so on through the series, the same time, the construction of the hinge as before described. The doors having thus 3 portions of the doors should be such as to afbeen opened for dumping, are closed in reo5 fQrd strength and durabilityr and at all times verse order as they successively engage the enable ready and efficient connection of any forward edge of the pit or other inclined Way given door with the hinge portion of the next provided for this purpose. door to the roar thereof. A still further re- The inventive idea is capable of embodiquircinenl is that the doors should be cheaply ment in various forms of drop bottom cars,

drawings, but it is to be expressly understoo IISl that said drawintgs are for purposes 'of illusare not intended to, define tration only, an the limits ofthe invention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

In said drawin Fig. 1 a longitudinal sectional elevation through a portion of a car body, showing a series of drop bottom doors in closed position and hinged' on axes extending transversely of the car in spaced relation with the axles thereof;` l

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one of the door hinges and catches shownv in any suitable manner, as by rivets 15, and

in Fig.' 1; f

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating doors of somewhat different shape in closed and latched position, and showing the axles of the car wheels utilized as the axes to which some of the doors are hinged;

Figs. 4 and 5 are expanded perspective views illustrating in detail two constructional forms of reinforced hinges for the doors, and the catches whereby each of the doors (except the rear door) may be engaged with and supported bya hinged portion of the door next in the rear thereof;`

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of latch I mechanismfor the rear door and means for trilpping the same;

ig. 7,is a side elevation of a train of drop ,bottom cars of various types, said cars being equipped with doors embodying the presentmvention, and shown crossing a pit or bin into which material is dumped from said cars; and Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the car over the pit or bin 'and the doors unlatched and in fully open position.

Referring to the drawings, whereinA like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the body of a car which may be of thev usual or any suitable construction and is lshown in the drawings moving from right to left, in the.

direction indicated by the arrows, on a suit-'- able track 2 that extends across a pit or bin 3. 5o

The forward door 4, as shown in Fig. 1, is hinged on an suitable axis 4 extending transversely o the car, by any suitable or desired hinged device. The remaining doors axles 8 and 9 of the car.

5, 6, and 7, are each hinged to axes 5', 6', and 7 which, as shown in Fig. 1, are preferably on a plane below the horizontal plane of the' If desired, however, these axes may be on a higher plane, for example in the same plane as the axles of the car,"as shown in Figs. 3 and 8, and in the latter case, if desired, the axles 8 and 9 may themselves form the axes around which certain of the doors turn, additional axes, for example, the axis 10, being provided in the same horizontal plane as the axles 8 and 9.

Referring again Figs. `1 and 2,' and partlcularly to F ig'. 2, 'each door'is composed of i a sheet of steel or other suitable metal 11,

tions of the doors, said blocks having thel parts thereof adjacent the axes 5', 6', 7 arcshaped in cross section to fit said axes. These blocks are secured to the rearwardly projecting edge and main body portions of the doors extend along the hinge axes ofthe doors from one side of eachdoor to the opposite side thereof. The blocks 14, as shown in Fig. 4, may each comprise a single member having catch receiving portions 16 cut or formed therein, or sectional means in the form of individual blocks 17 may be employed which, as shown in Fig. 5, are arranged in spaced relation along the hinge axis of each door and form catch receiving openings 18. In either case, said blocks and the axes of the doors substantially fill the spaces between the doors proper and the edge portions thereof which are bent around said axes sd that preferably reinforced 'by* anges 12. -"'"The 1i;

the hinges thus formed have increased I strength, and the bent projectingv edges of formed on or secured to the rear or freeedge.,

portion of each door, except thereardoor,"

and so spaced that when the. door is. raised in closed position, said catches will .engage over the edge portion or extension 20 on the hinge part of the door next to the rear thereof and enter the catch receiving portions 16 of the blocks 14, or the spaces 18 between the blocks 17, as the case may be. means, the rear edges of the doors 4, 5, and 6 are positively latched to hold said doors in their upper closed positions. The rear door 7 ,'however, has its rear edge portion engaged by any suitable latch mechanism 21 'y which may be automatically or manually tripped as desired. u

eferring particularly to Fig. 6 of the drawings, the latch mechanism 21 comprises a hook 2 2 that engages a lug 23 on the rear By this v ly beyond one side thereo door/. "toliold ,said door in its elevated orsaid claims are designedV tobev` covered closed position. The hook 22 i.- rigidly securedon ,a'lever'24 which -is pivoted at 25 on `the rear endY of thecar and fprojects outward- A .Y As the car approaches the pit or bin 3, said lever engages a cam or other suitable incline 26 anchored in any suitable manner to a support 27 ar-v the latter upwardly about its pivot so that the hook 22 is released from the lug-23, and the rear door 7, together with the 'doors 4, 5, 6, will, when the car arrives over the pit or bin 3,I all swing downwardly and open, The load in the car is thus dumped into said pit c or bin, whereupon the doorsv are serially raised and latched from the front to the rear of the car, by engagement 'with the forward edge of said pit or other suitable incline, as the car travels past the saine.l

InFigs. 3 and 8, the several car doors 4, 5, G, 7 and the-tlanges1-12 thereof, vextend downwardly andrearwardly from the hinges in substantiallystraight lines and are then curved V'sharply fu'pward,y whereas, in Fig. l, the doorsareshown bent upwardly at v the rear portions thereof only to a very slight degree. The'capacity ofthe car is materially increased by placing the axes 5', 6 and 7 on a plane lower than the plane of the car'axles, and when, as in Figs. 3 and 8, the axes 'of the doors are placed in substantially the same horizontal plane as the axles of the cars, this results in material reduction of the car capacity which, to a certain extent, is compensated for by the downward dip of the doors 4", 5, 6 and 7, as shown.

The forward door 4, or 4, as the case may be, may be hinged to its axis by bending the sheet metal of the door around the hinge bar or axis, or in any other suitablel manner.

This may be a simple hinge construction,l

since it is not required to provide any catch engaging portion therefor to cooperate with another door. I.

While the cars shown in Figs. l, 3 and 8 are carried on wheels and axles situated between the front edge ofthe front door and the rear edge of the rear door,- it will be readily understood that the invention is not limited in its application to a car of this specific construction,since the wheels and axles thereof may,if desired, be located to the front and to the rear of the drop bottom portion of the car, as illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings wherein the cars 28, 28 are of the type last referred to.

It will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that various modiiications of the construction described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims, and it is to be expressly understood that such modifications as fall within the definition of ranged adjacent the rails 2.1 Engagement of the lever 24.- with the cani or incline 26 swings 'of the door and extending thereby.

What is claimed is:

1. In a drop bottom car, a hinged sheet;

one side of the door to the opposite side therev of, and means vsecuring Said reinforcing means to the bent liingehedgel and main body portions of said door.l l

2. In a dro bottonicanfa hinged metal bottom ing .transversely of the c ar edge of the door being lbent artially around said axis and extending there eyond approximately parallel with the main body of the door, reinforcing means inter osed between the benthinge edge and main dy portions along the hinge axis from one-side of the dooi to the op osite side thereof, said reinforcing means lieoor, an axis therefor extendbody, the hinge ing shaped at one side to fit said axis, and

means securing the reinforcing means to said bent hinge edge and main body portions oi -the door, respectively.

3. In a drop bottom car, a hinged sheet l metal bottom door, an axis therefor extending transversely ofthe car body, the hinge edge of the door being bent artially around said axis and extending there eyond approximately parallel with the main body of the door, reinforcing means interposed between and secured to the bent hinge edge and main body portions of the door and arranged along the hinge axis from one side of the door to 1 the opposite side thereof, a second axis extending transversely of the car body in spaced relation with the first named axis, and a sec- Y ond sheet metal bottom door similarly hinged to said second transverse axis, the edge of said second door opposite the hinge thereof having support-ing engagement with the extended hinge edge of said first door when in normal or closed position.

4. In a drop bottom car, a plurality of axes extending transversal of the car in spaced relation, a plurality ofy interlocking drop bottom doors hinged to said axes respectively and having edge portions bent around the axes and extending beyond the same to a point opposite the body portion of the doors, rein.

forcing means interposed between and secured to the bent edge and main body portions of the doors and arranged along said axes from one side of each door to the opposite side thereof, latch mechanism for holding the rear door upwardly in closed position and adapted when unlatched to provide for opening of the rear door and the remaining secured to the bent hinge edge and main *body portions of the door and arranged along said axis from. one side of the door tothe opposite side thereof, said reinforcing means providing catch-receiving openings, a second hinged-sheet metal door, and catches on said second door adapted to enter said openings and engage the bent hinge edge'of the first door when said doors are closed.

6. In a drop bottom car, a hinged bottom door, an axis therefor extending transversely )f the car body, means on the door bent around the transverse axis and terminating in an edge portion opposite to and spaced from the main body of the door, and reinforcing means interposed between and secured 'to said edge and main body portions of the door and extending across said door from one side of the saine to the opposite side thereof.

7. Ina drop bottom car, a hinged bottom door, an axis therefor extending transversely of the car body, means on the door bent around the transverse axis and terminating in an edge portion spaced from said axis and the main body portion of the door, block shaped reinforcing means interposed between and secured to said edge and main body portions of the door and extending across the door from one side of the same to the opposite' side thereof, said block shaped reinforcing means providing spaced catch receiving openings, a second hinged door, and catches secured to the second hinged door adjacent the free edge thereof and adapted to enter said openings and engage said edge portion of said first door when the first door and said second door are closed successively.

8. In a drop bottom car, an enddrop bottom door hinged thereon, one or more drop bottom doors also hinged on the car, means on said doors bent around the hinge axes thereof the rst named `end door, and catches on the remaining doors adapted to enter said openings and engage said edge portions of the doors when all ofthe doors are closed.

9. In a drop bottom car, a drop bottoni door hinged thereon, means on said door bent around the hinge axis thereof to provide an edge portion opposite to and spaced from the main body portion of the door, and a plurality of reinforcin blocks arranged between and secured to the tobent edge and main body portions of the door and extending across the door in spaced relation from one side of sai door to the opposite side thereof.

10. In a drop bottom car, a dro bottom door hinged thereon, means on said oor bent around the hinge axis thereof to provide an edge ortion spaced from said axis and the main ody portion of the door, a plurality of reinforcing blocks arranged between and secured to the bent edge and main body portionsof the door and extending across the door in spaced relation from one side of said door to the opposite side thereof, a second drop botsecond door adapted to engage the bentedge of the first door and enter the spaces between said blocks when the' first and second doors are closed.

. tom door hinged on the car, and catches on the 1l.4 In a drop bottom car, the combination i of a car body, a plurality of transverse rods, a plurality of sheet. metal doors hinged to said rods by bending the sheet metal partially around the respective rods as an axis, the bent edge of said sheet metal projecting beyond the axis and approximately parallel with the main body of the door, spaced metal blocks interposed between said projecting edge and the main body of the door, means securing said blocks in position, and a series of hooked catches on the rear edge of each door and engaging said projecting edge when the doors are in closedy position and from which catches said edge is withdrawn when the door is dumped.

12. In a. drop bottom car, the combination of a. plurality' of sheet metal doors hinged thereto by bending the sheet metal around the hinge axes, the bent metal projecting beyond said axes and providing edge portions spaced from the main body portions of the doors, spaced reinforcing elements interposed between and secured to the projecting edge and main body portions of each door, and a plurality of catches on each door engaging the projecting edge portion of the next adjacent door between the blocks thereon when the z doors are in closed position.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

CHARLES A. GrRIFFITII. 

